Part I: Kaidan's wish.
Kaidan wasn't always the type of guy that did things in the heat of the moment. He was cautious, always thinking about the future, and his past.
He was glad for the shore leave though. Seeing as that Shepard, who had switched his interest from the Williams girl to the Asari scientist left things open for him.
When they landed hours ago on the docking bay, there were still things to be done before actually setting out. There was the inspection crew that came in to check on the engines, the hull, the thrusters, all from the outside and making their way to the interiors. There were inspections on the condition of the heating, the cooling system, and more or less the crew that brought in stacks of covered packaged food for the next journey ahead. And when it came time for Shepard to make his way to the exterior, donning his shore leave clothes, he motioned Williams and himself to go along.
Kaidan was a little nervous about that. Commander Shepard had brought Dr. T'soni and Garrus the last time, leaving the rest of the crew to meander and relax at their stations or at the mess hall.
Williams sent him a half smile, the glint of white teeth showing and her black hair pulled back in that usual bun had been loosened, so that when she had pulled her jacket around her without the Ursa armour--he was pleased that she was ready to take some relaxation on the citadel. It was the only time they could actually sit by the artificial lake, or take a noisy trip over at Chora's Den to get drunk--but more often than not, they were thinking, on the same terms to hopefully take time at Flux. Williams seemed to like it there, where the noise and lights, and people--no matter what species--were dancing and having a good time. It was with eager anticipation that she had said before--a month exactly--if it were expensive to live there. An indication that she was slightly interested in purchasing a nice tidy sublet to live in.
He had always loved adventurous women. He hoped he wouldn't be less obvious with his intentions when they stepped over at Flux by the markets. They both knew that Shepard always made his way to the market place, to unload a few supplies and purchase upgrades for himself and for his crew. It was a customary thing.
By the elevator, Kaidan cleared his throat, waiting for the long trip down to C-sec academy. "So, Williams, you thinking about going to buy property here?"
She sent him a wide smile, "Not sure. I wouldn't mind, if it's affordable. What about you, L.T. I always thought you the type to settle down somewhere rustic."
He chuckled at that, his eyes darting to Shepard at front--who seemed to not have noticed his crew's exchange---and Kaidan relaxed, "No, no, I'm not the type to settle down too quickly. Maybe when this is all over..." he said this in a faint nostalgic way.
"Why, Kaidan, I never thought..." she blinked, aware that she didn't want to embaress the lieutienant. If anything, she liked him too much. He was the first to recommend her to the Normandy, and while Anderson had willingly agreed and thought it was a great idea---it was with some kind of loyalty she placed with Kaidan that he had made it clear that he thought highly of her. Even when commander Shepard had been adamant about leaving her back to her empty unit, or when she had accidently triggered the beacon on Eden Prime---it was Kaidan who stood by her.
"Don't mention it," Alenko laughed, teasingly.
It was then that Shepard moved, showing his sharpened profile to his crew. The elevator was approaching the landing. The sound of the glass sliding door descended and the three of them were smack in the middle of C--sec, where there were patrols walking to and fro from their stations and the smell of artificial cool air seemed to be different here than the top floor of the docking bay.
"I thought we'd head out to Flux first." Shepard said, "I don't think we've had a proper shore leave since...since the first time we came to the citadel."
He was right, Alenko thought---the very first time the three of them came to the Citadel. It was a magnfiicent experience. Williams was in awe at everything--even the aliens she had never seen before. And her tactless words seem to haunt her as she had even exclaimed that she couldnt tell the aliens from the animals. As inexperienced as she was a few months ago, she was inexplicibily ashamed of her words and hardly mentioned that again. Now, she talks about anything pertaining to Wrex's people---how she had found him to be so different from all the other krogans they had encountered or heard---or how she was even politely trying to make conversation with Dr. T'soni when Kaidan knew how it hurt to be rejected by Shepard.
Kaidan just hoped that it wasn't too late for him and Williams. Shepard may have chosen the bookish naiive Asari, but Alenko preferred adventurous women. He told Shepard that, hoping that his intention towards Williams was more than just friendship and comradeship. He was even glad-- despite Ashley's broken heart--- that Shepard chose the Asari. Perhaps it was selfish, but he felt that Williams would have been happier without Shepard's ruthless and renegade methods. Perhaps he knew that Ashley was even ruthless herself, but he knew deep down how incredibly sensitive she was and held that profile to the world that she was strong.
When they reached the landing by the Flux night club, there was a man there leaning against the wall. He looked wide-eyed and bizarrely hyper. "Soldier, I've got a proposition!" He said, chattering wildly.
Shepard seemed to pull his weight up, proclaiming to the chatty human that he was not just some stranger, but an Alliance military operative. The conversation didn't last much too long, since Shepard had been going renegade for the most part on this trip---pushing the poor human back against the wall and telling him that consuming drugs to get some job done to show the aliens that humans were the top of the creme' de la creme---was altogether very wrong.
Infact, it was him--Kaidan who had told his fellow human being that he needed to get a job. The dejected look on the fair haired man's face was evident and he slumped away looking fairly defeated and forlorn.
Kaidan wasn't about to question Shepard's motives. Even when his commander did things that he couldn't agree on, there were times that defied even Shepard's more sadistic methods.
The noise of the Flux music wavered outside, and when the three of them finally set foot inside, the bouncer who had been lounging against the wall by the entrance was glad to see them. "Hey, glad to see more humans in here."
Perhaps the bouncer wasn't comfortable to be surrounded by everything but humans walking around---and the only humans that were running around were the two sisters whom Shepard had helped months ago. There was the Volus on the dance floor and it didn't appear that turians danced all too much, but Asaris and salarians seemed to have joined in. They had seen humans here earlier, on their first visit to the citadel, but it was crowded now. The owner of the club was shaking his rotound body around and beckoning Shepard to join in.
It's been a long time since they had any break, not since taking a long trek across the volanic floors of Therum had they even managed to breathe easy. Shepard leaned over to Alenko, "Get us some place to sit and order a few beers or whatever it is they have."
It was then that Kaidan was left standing, saying words automatically, "aye aye, Commander." Even when Shepard took William's hand to steer her over to the middle of the dance floor.
He glanced before turning and saw Williams giving him that last look of 'I have no idea what's going on.', sending a shrug at his way.
Who could refuse the commander? None of them could because they took his word for everything and everyone--including his crew---from aliens to the rest of the humans that worked on the Normandy--followed his every command.
Kaidan sighed, greeting Jenna at the bar. She gave him a smile and pulled out three tall frosty glasses and filling it with a bottle of smoky flux-on-the-floor wild berry juice.
He wasn't sure if Commander Shepard wanted it to be a non-alcoholic beer or club drink; although, he was pretty sure that since their actions had been repeatedly renegade---it was only obvious that alcohol would be in the mix.
Jenna pinched in a few shots of 100 proof alcohol into each tall frosted glass, and set them on the tray. "That'll be 35 credits please."
"Oh yeah sure," he reached inside his suit to procure some credits while his eyes glanced over at the dance floor. There was Williams dancing with the commander and it was a slightly unpleasant sight that seemed to squeeze his heart a little.
He released a breath, picked up the tray after giving Jenna an extra tip. There was a table by the window, so he made his way past the other chairs, tables that blocked the path.
"Hey, I remember you." Kaidan looked over to see Jenna's sister. He couldn't for the life of him remember her name and he was usually good at names. Perhaps his mind was so preoccupied that he just smiled and didn't complain when she took the seat next to him.
"I haven't seen you here in a long time. I think, months. I see that commander Shepard's been having himself a good time." She looked over at the dance floor. "Last time he was here, he was dancing with that Asari chick."
"Yeah. It's our shore leave." He didn't know what to say to her and just picked up the glass to take a drink.
"You're the shy one aren't you?" She bit her lip, "If you want, I'm off duty and we could dance?"
He laughed a little laugh, cheerfully declining, "Sorry, I've got to wait on the commander and the cheif to get back."
"All right. But if you need a partner to dance with. I'll easily be yours." She smiled, "besides, the commander can't get all the women can't he?"
She left him there with the noise of the music surrounding him--the lights from the outside flashing to and fro against the clean artistically neonlithic walls---and the glowing lights lining the floors and the bar sending signals in his head made his headache flare up. He took a deep breath and reached over to touch his temple. He didn't want one of his headaches to come and haunt him again. Not now.
When his commanding officer and Williams came back, they both looked drenched in sweat and out of breath. It was sometime, and the frost on their drinks have melted off, leaving a puddle at the bottom rim of each glass.
"Alenko." Shepard said in that harsh voice of his, "Get out there and dance."
"Uh, no sir, I'm okay, thanks." He gave Shepard one of those tremulous smiles, for his flare-ups were bothering him---and the loud music, the chattering noises from different species and the lights were not helping at all.
"Kaidan, are you all right?" Williams seemed to have disregarded protocol--seeming that they were on shore leave and having a good time---that she addressed the lieutenant freely---the concern evident on her face.
"I'm fine." Alenko tried to waylay her fears, but she wouldn't let up.
"Sir," Ashley said, turning to the commander, "If you don't mind. I think it's best if we take L.T. to the med bay. It's not far."
"No. no," Alenko shook his head, "No really I'm fine."
"Stop being so stubborn," she said, "Obviously you're not fine. Look at you. You're sweating and you haven't even danced a dance with me..."
He looked up at her, stared into her eyes--and she was smiling that same tremulous smile---"You better be okay, or else I'll have to haul you up on my backside to the Normandy."
Kaidan chuckled, ignored everything around them but the woman who held his hand and placed her other on his cheek--as gentle as any gentle woman could be---though it defied everything that she represented.
"I guess I better keep it up if I want to get that close..."
It was an obvious invitation ---an obvious flirt between them---and Shepard's eyes had been darting to and fro from his Cheif to the Lieutenent.
Shepard cleared his throat.
The couple both broke apart from the intrusive sound, despite the fact that noises around them was ten times louder.
William's stood up and wiped away the sweat that threatened to ride down her neck, "Sir."
Part II: Ashley-the condition--
"Excuse us for a minute, Alenko. I need a word with Williams."
It was then that Shepard pulled her aside, walked her to the corner of the night club, away from the others.
Shepard looked at her---"if only...you knew that I chose you...too."
This was Shepard, Ashley knew. He wanted it all, and yes, it was true that indeed he had wanted both her and Liara, it wasn't without any regret that Ashley backed away from such an offer.
She shook her head, "I'm not going for a threesome...sir!" Williams stood erect, as if defying her commanding officer.
"It's too bad. I care for you, Ash..."
"You're just saying this because my interests are obvious for the Lieutenant, ...sir. And besides, what about your blue friend?"
"I like her too, but I can't seem to get you off my mind."
"Maybe you need a cold shower...sir."
He straightened, then nodded, "this is highly inappropriate. There are regs between you and the lieutenant."
She arched him a fine dark brow, "Oh? And it wouldn't be between you and me?"
"I'm a Spectre."
"I would think your connection to the alliance would be fairly more of an influence."
"Maybe...but how far do you think you'll get with Alenko?"
Williams wasn't sure if this was a challenge or not, "I'm not sure, sir. I just know that I care for him."
"Like you cared for me?"
"Sir. I've had my heart broken before. If you've never ever experienced that, then you don't understand me."
It was then that Shepard pulled away, for he was closing in--too close for them, and enough for Alenko who was still darting his eyes over at the couple---to realize that their conversation had been quite intimate.
"Ash. I do care for you, but...if the need ever rose that I would choose you and Alenko in a dire situation..."
"Then you need to choose him over me. Because Alenko is more valuable for the team than I."
"Strong words, Williams. We'll see."
Before he turned away, Ashley touched his elbow, "Please, sir," there was a sense of panic in her eyes. "If it ever comes down to that situation, please, Alenko deserves to live."
For a moment, Shepard just stared into the wet brown eyes---surprised to see some vulnerability in Ashley's favour.
He laughed, "This is a pretty gruesome discussion. I'll allow you to dance with Alenko once. Come on. Let's get back to your love-sick suitor. He might think we've abandoned him at this point."
William's wasn't the type to let it down, "Sir. You brought it up."
"True. But, I don't think we have to worry about choosing at this point. Whatever happens, I do care for you, Ash."
"I want to believe that...commander." she whispered softly.
She had stood there for a moment looking at Shepard's back, knowing that he would pick Alenko over her. There was Dr. T'Soni, after all, and there was no room for girls like Ashley Williams on the Normandy. As she looked over at Alenko, she smiled. It was time to show the man a good time. She'd make sure of that.
Williams wasn't sure she'd ever have another go at shore leave again...
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